Creoles share spotlight at Santa Rosa

Locally bred horses will share the spotlight on Saturday in two feature events on the Arima Race Club Day Eight card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. Pave The Way, the champion juvenile of last season faces a tough task in the Royal Colours Classic. The Grant Lourenco trainee who remains unbeaten since copping the Caribbean Juvenile Sprint in November closed off last season with victory in the St James Stakes. He has been asked to shoulder the responsibility of toting 56.5 kilos on his back and will give weight all round to nine rivals from his age group in main event on the nine race card on Saturday.

The 1350 metres attraction which had 15 runners paying final subscriptions saw four runners dropping out at entry stage on Monday. The Grade two event was weakened further by the withdrawal of Java Takeover at  yesterday’s declaration stage. But lesser rivals doesn’t make Pave The Way chances any rosier since he has six winners and three improving individuals to contend with in the entended sprint. This promises to throw some light on the Guineas, which will not be staged on its customary Easter Monday date, but has been framed instead for Arrival Day (May 31). Smooth Operator, who was claimed out of trainer Maniram Maharaj’s barn last month heads six rivals at the weights in the Starlight Stakes. Owner Trainer Harold Chadee’s new recruit, considered more of a grass specialist, will face off against Phantom Menace, Naturelly Classy, Man Of Class, Millenium Reign, Bon Voyage and Punto A Punto over 1350 on the main course.

The Starter Allowance event failed to meet minimum entry requirements yesterday and was dropped from the schedule. But while the 1750 metres contest opened to three-year-olds and over fell short in numbers, it was not so with the West Indian bred three-year-old Maiden contest, which attracted 19 runners and had to be split into two groups, with a field of nine going to post in the first leg. Following are the framed races, entries, weights, and jockeys for the entire card.

RACE 1: (1.00 pm) W.I BRED 4 Y.O & OVER NON-WINNERS OF TWO RACES IN CAREER - PURSE $18,000 - 1300 METRES.
1. Joan Of Arc - 53.5 - S.Rodrigo, 2. Winning Trick - 51.5 - R.Ramirez, 3. Creme Caramel - 52.5 - W.Galviz, 4. Van Nistelrooy - 54.5 - N.Abrego, 5. Hatrick - 54.5 - B.Harding, 6. Cornerstone - 52.5 - C.Marquez, 7. Baggy Green - 55.5 - G.Laban.

RACE 2: (1.32 pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($20,000 - $16,000) - PURSE $20,000 - 1725 METRES (TURF).
1. Kaser’s Gold - 51.5 - R.Thomas, 2. Groomsman - 51.5 - N.Abrego, 3. New Star - 51.5 - G.Laban, 4. Gaza Strip - 53.5 - B.Harding, 5. Ichiban - 51.5 - W.Galviz, 6. Saratone - 49.5 - L.Keizer, 7. Life In Russia - 50.5 - W.Galviz.

RACE 3: (2.05 pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($10,500 - $8,500) - PURSE $18,000 - 1600 METRES (TURF).
1. Running Trick - 52.5 - R.Jadoo, 2. El Guerrouj - 50.5 - C.Jadoo, 3. Return To Glory - 51.5 - R.Thomas, 4. Champagne Wager - 53.5 - B.Harding, 5. Kent’s Delight - 50.5 - K.Chandler, 6. Poetry - 51.5 - R.Rajkumar, 7. Iron Will - 51.5 - S.Rodrigo, 8. Lovely Pearl - 48.5 - R.Dwarika.

RACE 4: (2.40 pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($14,000 - $11,000) - PURSE $19,000 - 1300 METRES.
1. Sea Spider - 51.5 - L.Keizer, 2. Hemlock Falls - 50.5 - C.Jadoo, 3. Entertainer - 50.5 - R.Jadoo, 4. Blathazar - 51.5 - B.Harding, 5. City Of Lights - 50.5 - H.Emamalie, 6. Isle Be There - 52.5 - N.Abrego, 7. Hundred Percent - 54.5 - W.Galviz, 8. Yaa Asantewaa - 50.5 - J.Stephen.

RACE 5: (3.15 pm) W.I BRED 3 Y.O MAIDENS - PURSE $22,0000 - 1200 METRES.
1. Kato - 56.5 - H.Emamalie, 2. Deadsure - 44.5 - R.Latchman, 3. Crackshot - 56.5 - R.Mangalee, 4. Traviata - 44.5 - D.Gaff, 5. Skippy’s Dream - 51.5 - R.Thomas, 6. Rocket Booster - 44.5 - F.Razack, 7. Saucy Wow - 54.5 - B.Harding, 8. Majestic - 54.5 - S.Rodrigo, 9. Seaham Harbour - 50.5 - R.Ramirez.

RACE 6: (3.50 pm) W.I BRED 3 Y.O MAIDENS - PURSE $22,000 - 1200 METRES.
1. Imasekha - 56.5 - N.Abrego, 2. Arumur - 56.5 - J.Stephen, 3. Perfect Gem - 54.5 - R.Rajkumar, 4. Lovetillidie - 52.5 - L.Keizer, 5. Alamanamou - 44.5 - R.Badal, 6. Samana Song - 54.5 - R.Jadoo, 7. Sou Sou Moni - 44.5 - D.Gaff, 8. Murphy’s Law - 54.5 - R.Dwarika, 9. Mayaro Breeze - 56.5 - C.Marquez, 10. Nobleman - 51.5 - K.Bissoon.

RACE 7: (4.25 pm) STARLIGHT STAKES - W.I BRED 4 Y.O & OVER - PURSE $50,000 - 1350 METRES.
1. Phantom Menace - 54.5 - R.Jadoo, 2. Naturelly Classy - 53.5 - G.Laban, 3. Man Of Class - 54.5 - S.Rodrigo, 4. Millenium Reign - 54.5 - N.Abrego, 5. Bon Voyage - 53.5 - L.Keizer, 6. Punto A Punto - 52.5 - B.Harding, 7. Smooth Operator - 56.5 - R.Rajkumar.

RACE 8: (5.00 pm) ROYAL COLOURS CLASSIC (GRADE 11) - W.I BRED 3 Y.O - PURSE $60,000 - 1350 METRES.
1. Over And Above - 45.5 - R.Jadoo, 2. Second Chances - 48.5 - J.Stephen, 3. Salsa Moves - 50.5 - S.Rodrigo, 4. Bandikoot - 45.5 - R.Latchman, 5. Pave The Way - 56.5 - B.Harding, 6. Melanie My Love - 48.5 - L.Keizer, 7. Euro Star - 50.5 - R.Thomas, 8. Nowornever - 45.5 - G.Laban, 9. French Academy - 52.0 - W.Galviz, 10. Dealer’s Choice - 49.5 - F.Razack.

RACE 9: (5.30 pm) 3 Y.O & OVER OPTIONAL CLAIMING ($7,500 - $6,500) - PURSE 417,000 - 1300 METRES. 
1. Seductive - 47.5 - R.Latchman, 2. Regent Boy - 51.5 - R.Rajkumar, 3. Cotonou - 51.5 - G.Laban, 4. Kay Gee Bee - 45.5 - F.Razack, 5. Magen - 50.5 - R.Ramirez, 6. Mystile - 50.5 - C.Jadoo, 7. Alibi Ike - 53.5 - B.Harding, 8. Yankee Eagle - 50.5 - N.Abrego, 9. Copy Cat - 51.5 - S.Rodrigo, 10. Storming Wind - 45.5 - R.Jadoo.